Joe Willock has been a forgotten man in the midfield conversations this season.
Jacob Ramsey has been signed with a similar skillset, and many have assumed that his arrival would spell the end of Willock at the club. It may still end up that way, but the 26-year-old returned to the starting eleven against Tottenham and played well. It was a positive step for the former Arsenal man, and it was a reminder of what he can offer.
It is worth remembering what Willock has gone through over the last two years. Injuries have severely impacted him, and it has influenced his belief in his own body.
In cameos over the last two seasons, he has often looked to have a low pain threshold and be holding back in fear of getting another serious injury. It’s understandable, but it is a hurdle that he needs to overcome if he is to get back to his best form.
I have been a huge Willock fan since he signed. Under Steve Bruce, he was a rare light in a sea of misery. Under Howe, he took his game to a new level. In the 2022/23 season, he was on the verge of an England call-up before his injury. Since then, he has shown flashes of his best form, but it hasn’t been consistent. Many in the fan base had given up on him.
There was confusion when he was named in the starting eleven against Tottenham. Lewis Miley was on the bench and many assumed that it would be the teenager that started. Willock took his opportunity though and showed why Eddie Howe hasn’t given up on him.
On the ball, Willock was a lot more confident and he wasn’t making as many mistakes. He misplayed one of his 26 passes in the game. It was a good display of his ability to retain the ball. There was one moment where he put the afterburners on and burst past Kevin Danso on the wing. He retains the burst of acceleration that made him so good when he was at his best. That is a positive sign of where he is mentally and physically.
The goal threat is something that Willock has lost in recent seasons and he still doesn’t have total confidence in front of goal. He had a chance in the second half, which he looked to be in two minds about. There was a chance to get a header on goal or play it into Nick Woltemade’s path and he did neither. That fluency should improve with more game time.
His role in the second goal can’t be overlooked. Willock was the one who pressed Danso on the ball and forced the defender to concede possession. He then moved into the space and put a good cross in that took the goalkeeper out of the game, giving Woltemade an easy chance to convert.
Willock needs to be realistic about his game-time opportunities this season. He is currently the 6th choice midfielder, but he can be encouraged that this performance came on the right side. The 26-year-old has shown that he can operate on either side of the midfield and that should increase his opportunities to get on the pitch.
There are shoots of improvement. Willock has earned further opportunities, whether they come in cup games or as a substitute. Realistically, he is unlikely to ever be a regular starter again. That being said, he has an opportunity to impress Howe as long as he is at the football club.
Hopefully we see more positive appearances like this from Willock. If we do, he will be a good squad player to have. There is also the possibility to increase his value and earn a move away from the club if he doesn’t get back to playing regular minutes.
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